


On a Whim

by RobinReaper



Category: Misfits (TV 2009), The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Siblings, Canonical Character Death, Crossover, Ghosts, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Multi, Nathan Young Being Nathan Young, Nathan Young Needs A Hug, Panic Attacks, bentacles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2020-04-06 14:47:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19064809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobinReaper/pseuds/RobinReaper
Summary: Christ on a cracker, Klaus had a brother.“When’s the next flight to London, Rhubarb dearest?”(Or, Klaus ransacks Reggie's office and finds information on his birth mother and brother. Time for a trip to England, methinks.)





	1. Chapter 1

Klaus was done with America. For now, at least.

He was a big boy. He’d been fending for himself for a while now, skipping couches and alleyways for the last couple of years. Surely, he could do the same in other countries, right?

In the dead of night, after watching his old home, waiting for all the lights to be turned out, Klaus snuck back into the Umbrella Academy mansion, making sure to stick to the blind spots of the cameras his father had set up. He crept through the house and entered his father’s office, closing the door behind him quietly before beginning to rummage through the drawers of the desk in the centre of the room. Everything of value that he could find went straight into one of the two satchel bags he’d brought with him. He also made sure to root around through the paperwork on and inside the desk to see if he could find any useful information about himself that his father might have hid from him. If he was going to travel around the world, he might as well start with trying to find his birth mother. She may have sold him, but he didn’t have all the facts yet. Maybe if he could just speak to her or something, they could form some kind of familial relationship or at least get some closure?

He found a fancy journal in an ornate looking box and put both in one of the satchels. In another deeper drawer, he found thick files on himself and each of his siblings detailing the circumstances of their birth and purchase. He took his to read later, but left his adopted brothers’ and sisters’ well alone. They could find out their personal histories on their own time, if they were desperate to do so. He also found wads of cash bundled up in random other drawers and hidden in other nooks and crannies all over the room. More than enough to buy himself a plane ticket to somewhere.

It could also buy him a fuck tonne of hard drugs. But he’d promised himself, he would stick to small doses of the low level shit taken at regular intervals, just to keep the ghosts at bay. He needed to be fairly clear-headed to competently leave the country without getting arrested and not scare his mother off by being a complete wack-a-doodle when they first meet. He would save that for their third, maybe fourth meeting, if they got that far.

Klaus left the office, not bothering to right anything that he’d messed up, knowing that daddy-dearest would know someone had been in the room the second he opened the door in the morning regardless. He paused at the beginning of the corridor that had housed their rooms. Only Luther was still sleeping down there, at the far end. Klaus occasionally watched the news when there was a television at whoever’s house he was staying at, to check in on who was left in the Umbrella Academy. Diego had left a week after Klaus did and Allison had only stayed a month, maybe, before heading off to LA to jumpstart her acting career. Vanya must have left at some point too, Klaus couldn’t imagine her staying longer than was strictly necessary. He was kind of sad that they’d all cut off contact from each other, but he didn’t even have a phone or a permanent home, so he couldn’t exactly push the issue. He sighed, shifting the satchels so that the straps criss-crossed over his chest, and then he shuffled out of the house the way he’d come in. 

His next stop was his friend Rueben’s flat. He’d told Rueben of his plans beforehand, asking if he could scrape together a fake passport for him that would pass through all the security people at airports. It wasn’t like he could get a real passport with a name like Number Four, and he doubted there was any kind of legitimate and believable documentation that proved he was a Hargreeves either. It wasn’t like their father had gone through legal channels to ‘adopt’ them. Rueben had given him a Mates Rates deal on the fake passport, which Klaus now had enough money for.

He had been storing his stuff at Rueben’s flat too, in the corner of the living room between the couch and the wall. His small collection of shirts, skirts, leather trousers and underwear, along with a slightly bashed carry-on suitcase that he’d cleaned up after finding it in a dumpster a while ago. He had some trinkets that he’d taken from the mansion the night that he’d left as well, things to remember his siblings by; the octopus keyring he’d won for Ben at an arcade after a mission once, Five’s favourite marker that he liked to use to write equations on the walls, Allison’s hairbrush that they used to sing into like it was a microphone, a tiny plastic astronaut that he’d got out of a cereal box that reminded him of Luther, one of the whetstones Diego used to sharpen his knives on and a polaroid picture of Vanya playing her violin that he’d taken without her knowing. They weren’t much, but they were his.

“Hey, dude” Rueben greeted as he opened the door. He sent Klaus a small smile, which Klaus returned with a wave of his ‘Hello’ hand, before Rueben refocused on the screen of the laptop balanced in one of his hands. Klaus ambled into the flat, kicking his shoes off as he shut the door behind him. He sagged into sofa and detangled himself from the satchels. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, startling when he felt a nudge to his shoulder. Reuben still wasn’t looking at him, but he was holding out a glass of water with a little packet of pain killers clasped between his pinkie and the glass.

“Danke” He grinned tiredly, taking the items and popping a couple of the pills, swilling them down with the water. He sighs, feeling better already, even though there’s no way the pills have set in yet. He digs through the satchels by his feet and pulls out the file about his birth mother.

He sighs and opens it.

Louise Young stares up at him.

She was from Ireland originally, with the surname Byrne, but had been on holiday in Germany when his freaky birth had disturbed her normal, peaceful life. She had been paid 50 grand to give Klaus over to Reginald Hargreeves.

His adoptive father had kept tabs on Louise and the way her family grew and dwindled over the years; her relationship and marriage to Mike, the birth of their son, Nathan Young, the terrible split between Louise and her husband, the move to an estate on the outskirts of London and then her son’s descent into criminal activity and the resulting community service that he was currently undergoing.

Christ on a cracker, Klaus had a brother.

“When’s the next flight to London, Rhubarb dearest?”

Rueben grinned at him over the top of his computer and with a dance of his fingers over the keys, Klaus Beck had a seat booked on the next plane to London.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a new chapter!  
> I probably won't update consistently, so sorry in advance, but I hope you enjoy this addition to the story!

“What do I do now, Rhubarb?” Klaus hissed into his phone. The Arrivals part of the airport was heaving with people, all hurrying about to make sure they’d got their luggage and reuniting with family, friends and colleagues.

 

Klaus was suddenly, horribly alone and didn’t quite know what to do next. It was one thing to be out on his own on the streets once he’d left the Academy, but this was entirely different. At least then he’d been surrounded by familiar buildings and streets and had made quick friends with other addicts, dealers and random weirdos. England felt completely different. All the accents around him sounded funny and wrong compared to what he was used to, and he had no idea what to do with himself.

 

The air felt different.

 

Rueben had given him an old phone to use and had topped up the balance before Klaus left, so he could call if he needed to.

 

Klaus needed Rueben, right now.

 

“I’m such an idiot, I didn’t think this far ahead, what do I do now? Where do I go? Do I go straight there? What will I say to them? Do I find a hotel and brood there for a few days? I’m not cut out for this kind of stress, Rhubarb! Am I making too much of a big deal about this or am I not making enough of a big deal about this? Hilf mir, Mann!”

 

“Klaus, calm your shit.” Rueben’s tone was exasperated but amused as it crackled over the poor audio on the phone. “Don’t chicken out now. It’s, what, early afternoon over there? Louise will be at work according to the file and your brother’ll be doing his community service. You’ve got all the addresses, dude; you can either jump scare your mom at work, stake out the house and wait for her to come back, or pop by the community centre and see if you can catch your brother.”

 

Klaus took a deep breath in and out, thinking over his options. From the picture in the file, Louise looked a bit skittish. She was a white bread, middle aged woman with a normal, monotonous life. Showing up at her workplace in his best skirt, shiniest crop top and blackest fluff-lined coat was probably not the best start to their potential relationship. Klaus also didn’t want to be sat out on the curb in front of his mom’s house for ages either. He’d get bored and end up in some kind of trouble with the neighbours. His brother however … that might be a good idea.

 

“You’re too sensible for me, Rhubarb, baby. I’d be institutionalised without you. I’ll go for a gander by the community centre, see what happens. Danke für alles!”

 

“Take care of yourself, Klaus. Call whenever.”

 

“Byeeeee!” Klaus hit the end call button on his phone and slipped it back in his pocket.

 

Okay, first call, get a taxi.

 

Klaus made his way out of the airport to the taxi bank and slid into the backseat of the closest one available. He had more than enough money on him for the trip after trading the expensive items he’d nicked from Reggie’s office at a pawn shop and then getting it exchanged into pounds at the airport in America. He rattled off the address for the community centre from the smudged writing on the post-it in his pocket that Rueben had prepared for him earlier, and off they went.

 

The taxi driver told him it would take a while with traffic because there was some kind of protest or march or something that they had to go around. Klaus waved him off, saying it was fine and the taxi driver nodded before turning the music up a little, clearly not as chatty as most stereotypes suggested.

 

It was probably a good thing too, because that was when Ben happened to poof into existence on the seat next to Klaus.

 

Ben blinked. He looked at Klaus. He looked at the taxi driver. He looked back at Klaus.

 

Then he looked out the window.

 

“What the fuck, Klaus?”

 

There were a lot of ways he could answer that question, so Klaus stuck to avoiding eye contact and nodding slowly. What the fuck indeed.

 

“Are we in England? I think I can see Big Me.”

 

At that, Klaus ducked a little so he could see out the window to where Ben was pointing. Big Ben was peaking up from over the top of a few building and across the Thames.

 

“Oooooh, Thicc Ben!”

 

A rush of cold went through his head, like a muted brain freeze from a slushie, and when Klaus straightened, he realised Ben must have swatted at him in annoyance. He was glaring pointedly at Klaus, looking more like a pouty puppy, waiting for an explanation to their situation.

 

Klaus gnawed on his bottom lip and fisted his hands in his skirt. This was the most sober Klaus had been in weeks, probably months, to be honest. Ben had flickered in and out of existence over that time, but Klaus definitely hadn’t seen him in at least the last month. He didn’t know where Ben went when he couldn’t see him, he’d been too afraid to ask, but he knew that the little emo wasn’t happy with it regardless. Mainly, Ben liked to be around to annoy Klaus and micromanage his life, so he was always angry, but relieved, whenever he got to exist again after being gone for a while. Ever-the-Mother-Hen-Ben.

 

“Well spotted, Benny dearest, we are in England.”

 

Ben tilted his head, passive aggressively.

 

“Okay, okay, alright, okay, so I wanted to find out about where I came from, you know? I love you weirdos, but I want to know more about my other family, the one who sold me for money? My birth mother must have had a reason to give me up, right? And she might wanna know how her dirty little secret alien baby is doing? Maybe? So Rhubarb helped me ween off the drugs and, in the Dead of night, pun intended, I snuck into daddy-dearest’s office and nabbed a buttload of money and the creepy files he kept on me and my bio fam and. Boom, here we are on the way to my brother’s community service centre to pay him a visit while he does time for stealing some pick’n’mix and attacking some lady called Beverly?”

 

There was a long moment where neither of them spoke, just the sound of some pop song playing on the radio, filling the cab with flat noise. Ben was very still for a bit, while he processed Klaus’ story, before he let a big breath out through his nose.

 

“Okay, cool.”

 

Klaus sighed in relief, before grinning, wide and happy. “Brilliant, Bentacles! His name’s Nathan and he looks exactly like me, from what I saw of his picture in dad’s file, only I’m prettier of course…”

 

Klaus babbled on while the taxi continued its journey, Ben interjecting and asking questions every now and then. They were back to their old rhythm. Good Ol’ Four and Six. The taxi driver wasn’t even weirded out when he caught a glimpse of Klaus talking to himself in his rear-view mirror, so Klaus decided he’d tip the guy well for being so unbothered.

 

Soon they were pulling up to the community centre and Klaus was handing over a wad of cash and hopping out onto the pavement, Ben phasing through the metal beside him and eyeing the place with barely concealed disgust. It was a bit ratty looking, but Klaus had been in way worse places, so this was practically a palace in comparison.

 

It was quiet out. No one else was around.

 

There was a sad aura surrounding the area. A monochrome film over the landscape.

 

Klaus didn’t know if that was normal for this place, or if it was new, but it gave him a sense of foreboding, nonetheless.

 

“Klaus. I think something happened here.”

 

“Yeah, I get that too.”

 

Klaus hesitated and then skipped forward, towards the front entrance of the building.

 

There were a couple of bunches of wilting flowers propped up against the wall by the door, and Klaus frowned at them, Ben trailing a few steps behind him.

 

Someone had died here. Fairly recently too.

 

Klaus wondered if he would be able to see them haunting the community centre but didn’t know if he was quite sober enough for that yet. Ben always appeared first, before the other spirits, so Klaus had no idea when he would be able to see the rest of the ghost again. He wasn’t looking forward to it, that was for sure.

 

There wasn’t a picture of the deceased anywhere amongst the flower tributes, so Klaus wouldn’t know if he could see the dead guy strolling around anyway. Unless he tried to feel up everyone he came across. But that was probably a bad idea.

 

“Are you alrigh’, ma’e?”

 

Klaus startled at the voice behind him and spun on his heel to face the newcomer.

 

Newcomers. Plural.

 

Four people in garish orange jumpsuits were stood behind him, each with various cleaning supplies in their hands. There were two girls and two boys in the gang, and they all looked about Klaus’ age, maybe a little bit younger. The girl at the head of the group was the one who’d spoken. Her hair was scrapped back off her forehead into a high ponytail and there was grief in her eyes. The others had the same look about them.

 

While Klaus had been sizing them up, they had returned the favour.

 

The second girl gasped and skittered back a step, dropping the bucket of water she’d been holding, her mass of curly hair bouncing with the movement and her hoop earrings swinging back and forth wildly. The boy standing close beside her, a handsome, athletic, dark-skinned dude, jerked back as well, brow furrowed, and the tough looking girl at the front flinched but continued to stare at him hard, searching his facial features for something unknown.

 

The second boy, however, remained perfectly still. He barely moved to breath, though his knuckles were white gripping the brush and wet cloths he was holding. His jawline could cut diamonds, and his eyes were big and beautiful, but so sad. Full of grief and guilt and discomfort. And shock and recognition.

 

Klaus did not like where this was going.

 

“I’m looking for Nathan Young.”

 

None of them said anything, but there was so much tension, the air was thick and humid with it.

 

Klaus was starting to feel overwhelmingly claustrophobic, even with all the open space of the lake nearby them.

 

“I recently found out that he’s my brother? And that he has his community service here? Do you know him? Wh-where is he?”

 

Klaus bit his lip to stop the tirade of questions. He was shaking like a leaf. He pulled at the edges of his coat to try and warm himself up more but knew that it wasn’t the cold causing this reaction. Nor was it the withdrawal symptoms he’d been feeling on and off for the last few days. He could feel Ben hovering worriedly behind him, keeping his distance so that he wouldn’t accidently shock Klaus with his icy ghost touch.

 

The ponytail girl stepped towards him. Her hands were raised in front of her slightly, approaching Klaus like he was a spooked horse.

 

Her eyes were so sad.

 

Why were they sad.

 

The world was so slow around them. Klaus could hear his heartbeat thrumming in his ears.

 

“I’m so sorry, ma’e.”

 

Klaus gulped, waiting for the penny to drop.

 

“Nathan’s dead.”


	3. Chapter 3

“O-oh”

Klaus could hear a ringing somewhere, or maybe it was just his ears.

The world was full of static.

He stumbled back from the small group in front of him, until his back hit the wall of the community centre. He hoped something solid would help ground him somehow, but it wasn’t helping at all.

Nathan was dead.

His brother was dead.

Another of his brothers; Dead.

He had Three Dead Brothers.

Maybe more, he hadn’t properly checked in on Luther or Diego recently.

Christ on a cracker, maybe he should have checked in on them? He hadn’t even looked in on Luther in his room when he’d snuck into the Academy last night. Maybe the room wasn’t quiet because Luther was asleep. Maybe it was just empty, and Luther was just dead. Also, Klaus had been avoiding Diego because he didn’t want to get arrested by his own brother for drug possession, but maybe he wasn’t as good at avoiding people as he thought. Maybe Diego wasn’t around to avoid. Maybe Diego had been shot or stabbed on duty and was now dead too.

Maybe he should have checked on them.

How was he this much of a selfish prick?

His brothers were all assholes, but he loved them.

He didn’t want them dead!

And yet, now three of them were.

God, and he didn’t even know Nathan. Didn’t get the chance to know him.

And now he was dead.

Would he be like Ben and haunt him for the rest of his life? Able to see and hear him, but never touch? Or would he be like Five and ignore Klaus? Hate him and leave him alone? Find whatever part of the afterlife was furthest away from him?

Klaus didn’t know which was worse.

He became slowly aware that he was curled up in a sitting position on the concrete floor, with his back still against the rough brick wall. His coat had rucked up behind him and the strip of bare skin peeking out below his crop top stung from where the wall had scrapped him in his descent. 

There was some murmuring at the edges of his perception, but he couldn’t make out what was being said and couldn’t care less what it was about anyway.

Everything hurt.

He buried his face in the thick fabric of his skirt over his knees and wrapped his arms around himself.

“-need to help ‘im out, guys. He’s spiralling abou’ all his dead brothers. Like Nathan’s no’ even the firs’ one to kick it and he’s thinking all this shit about ghosts and stuff. It sounds weird and trauma’ic as fuck.”

“More than one dead brother?”

“Klaus, are-“

“Poor bastard.”

“-you okay?”

“Ghosts? Is he a schizo?”

“Guys, this is serious!”

“I think he’s having a panic attack.”

Klaus twitched when he felt a hesitant hand land on his shoulder.

The group had fallen silent for the moment and Klaus could feel numerous eyes on him. Ben was amongst them somewhere, but Klaus didn’t want to raise his head to seek him out.

The thumb of the hand on his shoulder had started to move in careful, comforting circles just below the start of his collar bone. Klaus leant into the touch and the contact lost its hesitance. He breathed to the rhythm of the circles and found his heartrate was starting to slow down.

After a few minutes, Klaus regained enough control of himself to relax and loosen his limbs out of the tight ball he’d formed.

Someone was crouching down next to him. The owner of the hand.

Klaus followed the hand up an orange-sleeved arm to meet the gaze of the pale’n’pretty anime-eyed guy from before. The awkward, still one.

Upon making eye contact, the boy froze up similarly to how he had before, when he first saw Klaus. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming truck.

Klaus gave him a faint smile, but the boy seemed to suddenly realise that he was touching a stranger’s shoulder and retracted his hand quickly. He raised it up to his hair and started patting his fringe down awkwardly and avoiding eye contact, gulping like a cartoon character. Klaus would giggle if he could, but the panic attack had rapidly depleted his energy. He was so tired. The jet lag probably didn’t help. And he was reluctant to admit that withdrawal symptoms might be creeping back up on him as well.

“So…”

A smooth, low voice broke the quiet. Klaus turned his head towards the speaker; the athletic bloke, who was standing back a bit with the girls.

“What’s your name, man?”

“Klaus… and you guys?”

“Curtis.”

“Alisha,” pipes up the small girl with the curly hair and hoop earrings.

“Kelly,” the tough chick who’d lead the group earlier nodded her head at him in greeting.

They all turned expectantly to the boy nearest Klaus, who flustered under the attention, but somehow managed to spit out his name. “I’m Simon.”

“Cool-”

“Klaus.”

Klaus stopped and looked at Ben who was stood between an unknowing Kelly and Simon. Ben looked on edge for some reason. He kept looking at Kelly with worry and slight fear.

Klaus quirked an eyebrow at him in question.

“She’s got powers. She read your mind, earlier, when you were… processing. She told the others so they must be in on it. They might have some too. They could be like us, part of the 43. We should suss them out. Interrogation tactics.”

“What? But they don’t really look our age? Not to the day anyway. And why would so many of them be here? We're the exception not the rule, Benny Boy. Are you sure you heard right?”

“Yes, I’m sure! I don’t make things up, dipshit-“

“Who are you talking to?”

Klaus blinked and focused back on the others. Alisha was staring at him like he was a crazy person. As were the other three.

Oh yeah, other people couldn’t see Ben.

He could see Kelly’s face twitch out of the corner of his eye in reaction to seemingly nothing. Hmmm…

Ignoring Alisha’s question, Klaus crossed his arms and tilted his head, staring Kelly down.

“So, you can read minds, huh?”

The community service crew drew in a collective breath of shock and shared a suspicious glance with one another.

Well, that was shady.

He didn’t like the idea that someone could rummage through his brain as they pleased, and he had to find out who else he should be wary of.

People often liked to assume Klaus was stupid, but growing up in the environment he did, Klaus wasn’t allowed to be stupid. Not about the important things anyway. None of his siblings were allowed to be either.

Before the four young offenders could respond, Klaus continued with his eyes still locked on Kelly.

“And presumably, the rest of you have powers as well, but the question is what, hmm? Flight? Talking to animals? Breathing underwater? Teleportation? Telekinesis? Invisibility? –“

“Simon.”

Klaus cut himself off at Ben’s signal and lunged to his feet, making the others stumble back a few steps. Simon was caught off guard and was therefore too slow to dodge when Klaus gripped the guy by his forearms and scrutinized him.

“So, you can turn invisible, huh? That must be fun, right? Getting to snoop around where you’re not wanted. Looks like you and Kelly have something in common, huh? –“

“Twist.”

Klaus let Simon go with a little shove and swivelled around sharply to face the others. Kelly had been edging forward, presumably to come to Simon’s rescue, but she backed up again when Klaus caught sight of her.

He kept his eyes on her again, for dramatic effect.

“Anyone else have invasive powers? Powers that take advantage of people and get them to reveal their darkest secrets without their consent?-”

“Alisha.”

“Oooh, Wie glücklich! Another one! What can you do sweetheart? Mind control? Or is your body your weapon? You sure hold yourself like it is. Something to do with sex, hmmm?”

“Stop it!”

Curtis had moved in front of Alisha, as though he could physically sheild her from Klaus’ deductions. He looked angry. So angry he was practically vibrating with it.

Klaus laughed and even to his own ears it sounded quite unhinged.

“And what about you? Are you gonna make me guess? Or just tell me? Save us all some time.”

“I can time travel, you twat!”

It hit Klaus like a punch to the chest, knocking all the air out of him. He deflated like a sad balloon, feeling small and empty. He backed up into the wall again and slumped against it, staring absently at nothing.

“Time travel, huh?” His voice was weak, and he was tired again. What a rollercoaster of a day he was having. “My brother used to think he could time travel.”

The others were clearly confused. The rapid change of pace in their interactions so far had thrown them for a loop, but this was the cherry on top of the weirdness cake.

Alisha peeked at him over Curtis’ shoulder. “Nathan?”

Klaus shook his head, lost in himself.

“Five.”


	4. Chapter 4

Klaus drew the blankets tighter around his shoulders and took a slow sip of his coffee, looking out over the lake towards the rest of the estate.

After he had stopped verbally attacking his brother’s friends and calmed down from his second meltdown, they had all helped him get inside the community centre and had got him sat down on one of the comfortable chairs up on the roof.

Alisha had found some blankets in a storage cupboard and fussed around making sure Klaus was tucked in amongst them, so he was warm enough. She was very careful about not touching him skin-to-skin. While the others were busy making coffees in the kitchen downstairs, Alisha had quietly told him about all their powers and how they received and found out about them. Klaus felt a stab of guilt bolt through him when he remembered what he’d said to them all earlier. What he’d said to her specifically.

Kelly had chosen that moment to come bustling over with several mugs of steaming coffee on a tray. Curtis trailed behind her with some bags of crisps and chocolate bars from the vending machine, as well as a half-full packet of biscuits. Simon brought up the rear, clutching his phone tightly in his fist and looking awkward, which was apparently his Thing.

Klaus had apologised profusely for his earlier actions, but he must have been looking particularly pitiful because they all waved him off and told him not to worry about it.

They had been sitting in comfortable silence since then, drinking their beverages before they got cold and passing the food around. If the young offenders had been curious about how he’d known about their powers or the mysterious voice he had been listening to, they didn’t show it.

When Klaus finished his coffee however, he felt he owed them an explanation.

“I can see dead people.”

Kelly, Curtis and Alisha blinked at him slowly, comprehending the information he’d just given them. Simon, surprisingly, perked up.

“Like Number Four?”

Klaus laughed abruptly, startling the others, who had looked confused at Simon’s question. Simon himself blushed in embarrassment.

“I am Number Four, Simon dearest!”

The widening of Simon’s eyes was comical, and his voice squeaked on his next sentence.

“You’re The Séance!?!”

Klaus grinned wryly and put his mug on the ground so he could do a shaky jazz hands. The Hello and Goodbye tattoos on his palms had only been done a couple of weeks ago. Rueben knew a guy who had done it for free so he could expand his work portfolio. They’d all thought the Ouija board idea had been hilarious. “Ta Da!!”

“Wow” was all Simon replied, looking incredibly starstruck.

“What the fuck are you two on about?” Alisha raised an eyebrow pointedly at them. Curtis was looking unimpressed at Simon’s fangirling, while Kelly was leaning back in her chair smiling at the blushing boy in amusement.

“The Umbrella Academy!” At the blank stares from the others, Simon continued, loosing his shyness steadily to his passion on the subject. “They were a group of superheroes in America who fought crime. Part of the 43 from the weird set of births in 1989. There were six of them in the Academy, and they all had numbers and lived in a creepy house-school-thing with their dad. They had cool superhero names too… oh, they were responsible for fixing that thing with the Eiffel Tower several years ago! … And a bunch of other stuff! Number Five ran away at some point and they disbanded a couple of years ago when they lost Number Six. All of the others left their separate ways to seek out a better life or something. Apart from Number One who’s still in the news sometimes for the occasional mission!” His expression shuttered when he realised what he’d been saying and who he’d been saying it in front of. Simon looked towards Klaus bashfully. “Sorry.”

Klaus felt that tiredness seep into his bones again. “It’s fine, man. Don’t sweat it. Ben – Number Six, that is – is with me still anyways. Haunts the shit out of me.”

It felt good to say it out loud for once. His other siblings seemed to conveniently forget that he could see dead people. Well, they forgot that he could still have moments of sobriety in between his many highs. They didn’t trust his abilities after he had been unable to contact Five, anyway.

“Oh my God! Is that how you knew all that stuff about us?! Was he your lookout guy?! Number Si – sorry , Ben is here right now?!”

Klaus nodded to where Ben was standing near the edge of the roof. He’d been quiet up to now, since the interrogation, but he shared a grin with Klaus, before walking up to Simon and putting his hand on the guy’s shoulder. It passed through a bit and Simon shuddered, first with the coldness of the touch and then with excitement.

“Was that him?! Hi Ben!”

Simon was staring a few inches to Ben’s left when addressing him, but it was the thought that counts.

“Great to meet you, Simon. It’s always nice to meet a fan.”

Suppressing a grin, Klaus relayed the message and Simon figuratively melted into a gooey puddle, mumbling to himself about how this was the best day of his life.

Alisha and Kelly had started giggling at the whole situation, after they were up to speed on who Klaus was and how much Simon seemed to admire him and his super family. Curtis was grinning too.

“I don’t think you’ve ever talked this much in one conversation, man.”

Simon didn’t even hear him over the awe-inspired moment he was having. The other three started laughing full heartedly at that. Klaus just smiled.

It wasn’t often that people were impressed with him and Ben. Even in the old days when the Academy was fresh and popular. Most people liked One, Two, Three and Five because they were the ones with interesting powers and weren’t always on the side lines of the action or covered in blood and guts after a mission. The fact that Simon held so much enthusiasm for meeting them and had made an effort to acknowledge and believe in Ben, was so lovely. Curtis, Alisha and Kelly seemed to like Klaus too and take him at his word.

Once they’d calmed down from their laughing fit and Simon was back to Earth, they all fell into good conversation. Klaus learnt about each of these strange misfits, their lives and the reasons they were all doing community service. He shared stories of himself too and his time in and out of the Academy. Ben would butt in sometimes and Klaus would translate to the rest of the group for him. He didn’t feel judgment from the gang at all. In fact, some of his stories weren’t even the worst amongst the group.

They laughed with him and not at him and he felt included.

The others told him about Nathan. Funny stories. Sad stories. Ridiculous stories. Simon showed Klaus videos of Nathan that he’d edited and downloaded onto his phone. Klaus shed a few tears, but they were happy ones this time. His brother had been a right twat but, after watching him in clips and hearing all about him and his wild personality, there was no doubt that he was Klaus’ brother.

He was lovely and Klaus wishes he’d got to know him, … share some time with him or something.

There was one thing Nathan had been able to gift him with though.

Nathan had led him to these wonderful people; Kelly, Curtis, Alisha and Simon.

The night went on and Klaus found himself feeling better than he had in a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this chapter.
> 
> I felt like everyone needed a break from the sadness and drama...
> 
> Simon was a little ooc with his talkativeness, but, what can I say, he just really loves superheroes ;)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya, so I've finally updated again...  
> Sorry I've not been regular with writing the chapters and updating the story. My Grandad died last week, so I've been a bit preoccupied.  
> Hope you enjoy this chapter though, and I'll continue when I can, my dudes.

Klaus woke up squished between Kelly and Simon on the ratty mattress on the little mezzanine of the main hall of the community centre.

Last night had been great. Everyone had stayed up into the early hours of the morning, chatting and getting to know each other. When it had gotten too late for them to keep their eyes open any longer, they’d decided to call it a night and head back inside. Curtis and Alisha had bid them farewell and left to go to their respective homes, Alisha surprising Klaus with a nice hug, avoiding skin on skin contact.

When Kelly had asked if he had a place to stay, Klaus had reluctantly admitted to having no solid plans. It was too late to visit his mom, but he guessed that if all went well tomorrow, he could maybe stay on her couch for a bit, but there was no guarantee of that. He had enough money to rent a hotel for a few nights, but he didn’t want to waste money if he didn’t have to. He didn’t know when he’d next be able to get more and he doubted he could get a job anywhere. He wasn’t particularly reliable or likable to employers.

Apparently Nathan had used to live in the community centre when their mom had kicked him out of the house (and didn’t THAT sound promising for Klaus’ chances with reuniting with Louise), so Simon had suggested that they bring the blankets over to what was left of Nathan’s ‘bedroom’ and they all have a weird sort of sleepover so that Klaus didn’t have to be alone. Klaus had been touched by the idea but had tried to assure them that Ben was more then enough company, nonetheless. Kelly had immediately jumped on Simon’s thought though and wouldn’t take no for an answer. They’d both had some comfortable clothes stored away in their lockers to change into and Klaus had pyjamas stuffed somewhere in his trusty little travel case that he fished out to change into as well. Ben was dead so he didn’t need any night clothes. He just sat crisscross applesauce in the corner of the mezzanine while they each got ready.

As much as Klaus loved being in a big gathering with all his new friends, it was also nice just being amongst a small, intimate group of them. It seemed to relax everyone. Simon spoke more when less people were around and Kelly looked softer around the edges, smiling freely and sleepily at them both. Earlier, when Simon was off changing in the locker room, Kelly had confided in Klaus that she often felt protective of him because of how painfully awkward and shy he was.

For all of Simon’s seemingly polite and controlled personality, he was very similar to a wild animal. When pushed into a corner, he reacted impulsively. Simon had hesitantly recounted the story of his arrest, which had included him feeling overwhelmingly upset at the rejection from an old friend of his, and in a fit of rage he’d tried to set his house on fire. It was unbearably endearing though, that he’d pissed through the letterbox to put out the fire he’d made when he realised that a cat was still inside the building. Everyone had laughed at him when he’d finished the story, but not in a cruel way. Simon felt strongly and swiftly about things, like a saucepan boiling over before simmering back down again when the heat is lowered. He also regretted a lot of his actions after doing them. Kelly said she would often catch the tail end of a guilty thought here and there, so he wasn’t without remorse. 

Kelly wanted to protect Simon from others, but most of all she wanted to protect him from himself.

When they were all ready for sleep, they’d created a weird kind of cuddle pile on the mattress so that they could all fit, before one by one drifting off into unconsciousness.

Now though, it was a new day.

Klaus had a sort of ache in his chest when he remembered the news he’d received yesterday. It still hurt to know that his new brother was dead. It would take a while to get used to.

Kelly groaned beside him on the mattress and stretched out her joints like a big cat as she woke up. She frowned around at the room before her eyes settled on Klaus and a small lazy smile seeped onto her face.

“Y’alrigh’?”

Klaus nodded before thinking better of lying to a mind-reader. He shrugged, giving her a weak smile when her expression turned to sadness and sympathy.

“We can visit ‘is grave today, if you wan’? It’s the weekend so we don’ have any community service.”

“I’d like that.”

Their whispering must have roused Simon from sleep because the arm around Klaus’ chest tightened and there was a pressure at the top of his back where Simon was burying his face in protest of the new day. Klaus patted the hand in front of him soothingly, aware of The Struggle.

“Wakey wakey, Süsser. Up and at ‘em.”

After a few moments of adjusting to being awake and the morning light filtering up to the mezzanine level through the windows, the three of them staggered to their feet and changed into clothes to wear for the day. Klaus decided on a long flowy black skirt, an orange and red tie dye shirt and his black coat from yesterday. The others just put on their clothes from yesterday and put their sleep clothes back in their lockers, finding somewhere safe to store Klaus’ travel case as well.

Ben wasn’t anywhere in sight, but Klaus wasn’t worried. He was probably scouting out the estate to get a better idea about their surroundings. Ben liked to do that sort of thing now that he was a ghost and could go anywhere he wanted. He told Klaus that it was just because he was bored and wanted to have a brief look around wherever they went, but Klaus knew that it was for his benefit. It was Ben’s way of looking out for him now that he couldn’t protect his brother physically. He would search around to see where trouble lay and direct Klaus away from it, masking his intentions by distracting Klaus with something new and shiny. Klaus wasn’t stupid, but he let Ben continue doing it because it was endearing and made them both happy.

Curtis and Alisha arrived baring breakfast baps from a food truck a few roads away, which they all accepted gratefully.

They left quickly after finishing up though, when a large group of people arrived for some sort of club gathering for Saturday mornings.

Alisha tucked her arm through Klaus’ as they walked towards the cemetery, petting at the soft fabric. She diverted his attention from their destination by chatting animatedly to him about meaningless gossip about people Klaus had never met.

Klaus ground to a halt outside the gates to the cemetery though.

“I’m an idiot!”

“What?” Simon asked, concerned.

“I can see dead people and I’m about to go into a fucking cemetery.”

Alisha looked up at him uncertainly. “We don’t have to go in.”

“Yeah,” Klaus looked over to Curtis who had piped up. “Don’t force yourself to do anything you don’t want to do, man. Nathan would understand… Or, well, he’d be a massive cunt about it, but he’d understand eventually.”

Klaus took an unsteady breath in before letting it out slow and steady.

“No. I have to do this. I want to do this. Just the once…”

Alisha squeezed his arm reassuringly and Klaus shot her a quick grin before taking them forwards, through the gate.

There weren’t as many ghosts as Klaus had worried there would be, just a couple dozen spread out around the headstones, minding their own businesses. Most people moved on after death or went travelling in spirit form to more interesting places, and even those who stayed behind for ‘unfinished business’ weren’t always malevolent. Some people just wanted to stick around to wait for their friends and families to die before moving on.

Not everywhere was as horrific as the dreaded mausoleum full of the corpses of psychos and paedophiles.

Klaus kept his eyes on the ground and let Kelly take the lead of their little group. They were all quiet now, the air only full of the sound of spirits muttering to themselves.

“It’s just up here,” Kelly said after a while of walking.

Klaus followed her finger in the direction she was pointing and felt the air in his lungs stutter.

There was a figure up ahead.

Standing next to the grave that Kelly was gesturing to.

His back was to them, but he was around Klaus’ height with wildly curly brown hair and his hands tucked into his jacket pockets.

Klaus got a funny feeling in his gut, like something important was happening but he didn’t quite know what it was yet.

He stumbled over his feet slightly and Alisha yelped when she wobbled with him, still attached to his arm. This attracted the attention of the person by the grave. He turned and Klaus choked, feeling like lightening had just struck him.

It was like looking in a mirror.

His own eyes stared back at him.

His own lips open in similar shock and confusion.

His own ridiculous eyebrows furrowed.

Christ on a cracker, no wonder the others had been so shocked upon meeting Klaus.

They were identical.

Nathan was standing in front of him. In all his dead glory.

“-aus! Klaus, are you alright? What is it? Is there a ghost bothering you? We can go if you want to?-”

Alisha and the others had stopped moving when he did, alternating between looking worriedly at Klaus and darting their eyes around the graveyard to look for some unknown threat.

“I’m – fine, I’m okay… Just,… heilige scheiße, this is crazy!”

Nathan had been taking them all in while this was happening, but when he saw the ease with which they all spoke, something in him seemed to snap into action.

Klaus was expecting some kind of greeting. Maybe some curiosity. Maybe some sort of rude or ridiculous joke.

What he didn’t expect, was the anger.

Nathan’s face was screwed up in unfiltered fury. He stormed towards Klaus, his legs fazing through headstones and flower arrangements. Klaus jerked back away from him, shaking off Alisha lightly as he did so. He backed up but tripped over on a clump of grass, landing sharply on his backside. His breathing was erratic at this point.

The ghost finally reached him, getting right down in his face and trying to fist his hands in Klaus’ coat. His hands just sunk into Klaus’ chest, a wave of cold and horror washing over him with the feeling.

Klaus winced and waited.

“Where did you get my face, you fucking freak?!”

That… wasn’t quite what he’d been expecting.

“What?” Klaus stared up at his brother dumbly.

“You heard me! You’ve taken my face! And you’ve brainwashed my weird-ass friends! What do you want, huh?! You gonna kill them?! Rape them?! Both?! You sick pervert!”

Spit was flying from Nathan’s mouth, but the flecks just passed through Klaus and disappeared into the ground. Klaus’ mind was working a mile a minute to keep up with his brother’s words.

“No, no, nononono. That’s not it at all. You’ve got all it wrong. I’m your-“

Klaus was cut off when a strange, pained expression took over Nathan’s face. His outline flickered for a moment.

“Sh-shit!” Nathan’s seemed to rapidly change his opinion on Klaus from one moment to the next, as the anger faded away and he looked at Klaus with desperation. “Dig me up. 

Please! Please dig me up! I can’t take this anymore-“

And then Nathan was being pulled violently backwards, back towards his grave, sinking lower and lower into the ground. His hands were trying to scrabble at the surface for some kind of hold, but he just fell through the dirt like empty air.

“Please!-“

And then he was gone, as the earth swallowed him whole.

Klaus froze for a moment, before he scuttled forwards clumsily dodging the gravestones and other obstacles. He could finally hear the others yelling after him, which they’d probably been doing the entire time he’d been talking to Nathan, but he didn’t pay them any mind, collapsing to his knees on top of Nathan’s grave and beginning to paw at the soil frantically.

There was a hand on his shoulder, pulling him back fiercely.

Klaus turned slightly to come face to face with Simon, who had a look of confused betrayal shining in his eyes. His jaw was clenched and the hand that wasn’t fixed tightly over 

Klaus’ shoulder was curled into a fist, his knuckles white. 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

Klaus just gazed up at him and his eyes felt wet.

“He’s alive in there. Nathan’s alive.”


End file.
